1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to torsion devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a torsion device for facilitating opening and closing a gate attached to a support, such as a vehicle tailgate, by utilizing at least one angled portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Torsion devices are often utilized in the art to facilitate opening and closing various gates. For example, various prior art torsion devices are utilized with a vehicle and a tailgate to reduce the amount of force needed to open and close the tailgate. Such conventional torsion devices are U-shaped and are utilized by inserting one end of the device into the vehicle and then inserting the other end of the device into the tailgate. Opening or closing of the tailgate causes one end of the torsion device to pivot while the other end remains stationary, thereby applying a torsional force to the device. The torsional force reduces the load of the tailgate and enables a user to open or close the tailgate with less force than otherwise required.
Despite such benefits, conventional torsion devices suffer from a number of disadvantages. For example, although utilizing angled sections for insertion into a vehicle is known, conventional torsion devices generally utilize an entirely straight section having a terminal end for insertion into a tailgate. Upon application of the torsional force, the entirely straight section, including the terminal end, often scratches, scrapes, or punctures the tailgate due to the large amount of force applied to a small area, such as the tip or edge of the terminal end. Similarly, the torsional force causes the inserted straight section to deform, thereby further limiting the area to which force may be applied and thus increasing the potential for damage to the tailgate.
Additionally, conventional torsion devices are inefficient as the amount of force the device may apply to reduce the load of the tailgate is limited by the small contact area between the device and the tailgate. For example, upon application of the torsional force, conventional devices fail to remain stationary, deform, and/or rotate such that force within the tailgate is applied to a small contact area, such as the terminal end. As the amount of force that may be applied to the small contact area is limited by the resiliency of the tailgate to puncture damage, the total amount of force that may be applied by the device is also limited thereby requiring a user to apply a greater force than otherwise necessary.